His Divine Grace

A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

By Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana dasa)

All photos taken by Stephen Knapp from 1972 to

1975

In the Brahma-vaivarta Purana, in a conversation

with Ganga Devi, Lord Krishna describes that after
5,000 years of Kali-yuga have passed, His mantra
upasaka, the great sage and worshiper of
Krishna's holy names, will appear and spread the
chanting of Krishna's names (in the form of the
Hare Krishna mantra) not only in India but
throughout the world. Lord Krishna explains that
by the chanting of His holy names the world will
become spiritualized and everyone will be hari-
bhaktas, engaged in the process of devotion to the
Supreme. The purified devotees will visit the holy
places and holy rivers of India and will purify them.
They will also purify those with whom they come in contact. Thus, Sri Krishna
predicted the appearance of a powerful devotee who would spread the
chanting of His names worldwide.

Even in the Sri Caitanya Mangala, a biography of Sri Caitanya, the most
recent incarnation of Lord Krishna, written in 1537 by Srila Locana Dasa
Thakura (who was born in 1520 A.D.), Lord Caitanya foretold the coming of
an empowered devotee who would
take the sankirtana process
everywhere: "I want to flood the
whole world with the chanting of the
holy names. I will personally preach
and flood India with harinama
sankirtana, chanting of the holy
names. And My senapati
bhakta (great devotee commander)
will come, preach in different
countries and flood the world with the
chanting of Hare Krishna." This means that, though Sri Caitanya came to
establish and spread the process of congregational chanting of Krishna's
names in India, there would be one great devotee who would appear and
spread it throughout the world.

Later, in the 1800s, Bhaktivinode Thakura, a great devotee in the Brahma-

Madhva-Gaudiya line, predicted in his magazine, Sajjana-toshani, in an article
called Nityananda Suryodoy, "Soon there will be a time when chanting of
Krishna's name will be heard in England, France, Russia, Germany, and
America."

In this regard, Bhaktivinode also wrote in his Sajjana-toshani in 1895 that,

"Sriman Mahaprabhu [Sri Caitanya] did not descend with His associates to
deliver a certain number of human beings in the land of India, but rather His
purpose was to deliver and uplift all living beings in all countries of the world
by practicing the eternal religion of all souls." In the same article, Bhaktivinode
questioned, when will that day come when all greatly fortunate souls take up
banners, drums, and hand cymbals and cause the ecstatic waves
of harinama-kirtans [songs of the holy names of the Supreme] and the singing
of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's holy name to rise in the streets of their towns
and cities?

In 1896, Bhaktivinode predicted in his book, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: His

Life and Precepts, on page 62, "The principle of kirtana, as the future church
of the world, invites all classes of men without distinction of caste, creed, or
clan to the highest cultivation of the spirit. This church will extend all over the
world and take the place of all sectarian churches which exclude outsiders
from the precincts of their mosque, church or temple."

What all this means is that with his spiritual vision, Bhaktivinode could see
how the sankirtana process would be taken in the near future to the western
countries and, indeed, all over the planet. In fact, in 1875 Bhaktivinode
Thakura also predicted: "A personality will soon appear to preach the
teachings of Lord Caitanya and move unrestrictedly over the whole world with
His message." But who could this be? Who would do it?

As an answer to these prayers and predictions, on Nandotsava, the annual

festival day celebrating Krishna's birth, in the year of 1896, there appeared His
Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, known as Srila
Prabhupada to many. It was Srila Prabhupada who grew up as a pure
devotee of Krishna who took the chanting of "Hare Krishna" around the world
and made it a household word.
 Srila Prabhupada appeared in this world in
Calcutta, India. His father was also a pure devotee
of Lord Krishna. He would always invite sadhus,
holy men, to his house for meals and always asked
them to bless his son to become a great devotee of
Radharani, Lord Krishna's most beloved devotee
and consort. Srila Prabhupada's father once
bought him a small cart to pull the Deity of Lord
Jagannatha, as they do during the great
Rathayatra festival in Jagannatha Puri. So
Prabhupada would organize little festivals in his
neighborhood. Even then among his playmates,
Srila Prabhupada was always considered the
leader.

Gour Mohan De was a very humble and kind person, and

he found it almost unbearable to chastise his son. Sometimes if Prabhupada would
perform something a little naughty, his mother would scold him, saying, “I will tell your
father when he comes home.” Later, when his father would be informed of the incident,
he would look sternly at Prabhupada and say, “Oh, you have done this?” Then after a
moment he would smile and say, “Come, let us go make puns.” This would make
Prabhupada very happy. He was very much fond of puns but his mother would not cook
them for him, but simply give him chapattis.

Prabhupada's father also wanted him to be a good mridunga drum player. So

Prabhupada had two teachers, one for mridunga and the other for academics.
When Prabhupada became too absorbed in the mridunga lesson, the other
teacher would be outside waiting for hours. Prabhupada's mother would say
this was nonsense. "Do you think that you are going to make a living playing
mridunga?" Little did she know that his mridunga playing, that he would use to
accompany his public chanting, would become famous around the world.

As soon as Srila Prabhupada could read, he would get the train schedules
and calculate how he could get to Vrindavana, Lord Krishna's birthplace. So,
even then he was absorbed in thoughts of Lord Krishna.

Prabhupada later attended Scottish Church College in Calcutta, which was

administered by the British. Later, he joined Gandhi's Non-cooperation
Movement and refused to accept his diploma from that college as a type of
protest, although he had actually completed all the requirements for the
degree. After this, a friend of his father, Dr. Bose, made him a manager of his
chemical company. Thereafter, in 1918, Prabhupada became married and
soon started a family.

It was in 1922 when Srila Prabhupada met Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, the son
of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, for the first time. Bhaktisiddhanta was a highly
regarded spiritual authority. Srila Prabhupada went to see him only at the
insistence of a friend, who asked him to come along. Prabhupada previously
had some bad experiences with "holy men," and was skeptical. Finally he
agreed to see him and became very impressed, and agreed that
Bhaktisiddhanta was indeed a great holy man. However, because
Prabhupada was "addicted to Gandhi's movement," he made some argument
that first India should become independent before other countries would take
her spiritual message seriously. Nonetheless, Bhaktisiddhanta told Srila
Prabhupada that, "You are a nice young man, you know English; therefore,
you should preach this mission of Lord Caitanya specifically to the English-
speaking countries in the Western world." Srila Prabhupada always
remembered this.

After this, Prabhupada left the management of Dr. Bose's chemical company
and became a representative of it to start his own store in Allahabad. While
there, without any spiritual association, he was still thinking of Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta and what he might be able to do for him one day. Then in
1928 there was the huge Kumbha Mela festival in Allahabad and some of the
disciples of the Gaudiya Math, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta's spiritual institution,
came and asked Srila Prabhupada for his help. With his financial assistance,
a temple was started there in Allahabad.

In 1933, Srila Prabhupada took formal

initiation from Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati,
accepting him as his spiritual master. In
1936, he wrote a nice poem as an offering to
Bhaktisiddhanta, who then called him the
poet. Also in 1936, Prabhupada sent a nice
letter to Bhaktisiddhanta, in which he wrote,
"All your disciples, they are serving you so
much; I am just a householder, I cannot do
anything. Please let me know if there is
something I can do for you." Then, just two
weeks before Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati left
this world on December 31, 1936, he sent
one letter to Srila Prabhupada, instructing him again to take this message and
spread it to the Western countries. Prabhupada, years later, once laughed
and said, "But I did not know that I was going to have to do it."

Following the desire of his spiritual master, Prabhupada began publishing

his Back to Godhead magazine in 1944. It was difficult in the beginning. He
wrote them himself, had them printed, and even road into town on the bus to
distribute these one page sheets. But he never stopped. Srila Prabhupada
had also written a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita that was 1100 pages
long, but somehow it was stolen. He had also started his League of Devotees,
a small organization of Krishna conscious people. This was a forerunner of
what was to be The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, which
he founded after he came to America. Prabhupada's wife, however, was not
interested in all this spiritual stuff. She used to protest about the meetings and
his preaching activities. So this was getting in the way of his mission.

Then, in a dream, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta appeared to him and called him to

take sannyasa, the renounced order of life. Prabhupada later related, "I was
horrified. Take sannyasa? Leave my family? Give up my business? I did not
want to do this. But Srila Bhaktisiddhanta forced me to do it. That is his
mercy." Thus, in 1959, Srila Prabhupada accepted the order of sannyasa at
the Gaudiya Matha Keshava Temple in Mathura to give up materialistic life
and further execute the order of his spiritual master by preaching and writing
in the English language. Thereafter, he took up residence in Vrindavana, the
land of Krishna's birth. After some years, he occupied a room in the Radha-
Damodara temple. While living there, though almost penniless and sometimes
only eating every other day, he continued writing and distributing his small
magazine. However, a friend mentioned to him that instead of writing a
magazine, which could easily be thrown away, he should write books, which a
person would keep after purchasing. Srila Prabhupada took this up seriously
and spent most of his time from 1959 to 1965 translating the Srimad-
Bhagavatam.

By 1965 he had raised funds to publish the first three volumes of

the Bhagavatam. Armed with this, Prabhupada felt ready to finally carry out
the instructions his spiritual master had given him nearly 40 years earlier.
Then he decided to travel to America.

Srila Prabhupada came to America in 1965 on the steamship Jaladuta with

little money, a pair of hand cymbals, and a small trunk of his books, without
knowing anyone. With enormous odds, Srila Prabhupada thought, "I am an
old man, I cannot do very much. But what I can do, let me do in this New York
City, which is the biggest of all cities in the world." He maintained himself by
selling just enough books to get by, and staying here and there. Prabhupada
wrote, “Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and
passion. Absorbed in material life they think themselves very happy and satisfied.
Therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva. I do not
know how they will be able to understand it.” Humbly considering himself to be the most
insignificant servant of his spiritual master, Prabhupada pushed on with great
determination to try to do just some little thing before the time he would die.

Once, sharing an apartment with a young man, Srila Prabhupada discovered that he
was keeping meat and dog food and other abominable things in the refrigerator.
Prabhupada began crying, thinking, “Now I have broken my vow of sannyasa. I am
living in a place where they are keeping meat.” But, determined to serve his spiritual
master, he went on. It was because of this great determination and faith, even in the
midst of so many difficulties, that Srila Prabhupada gained the grace of his spiritual
master and became successful.

Formerly, so-called yogis had come to the West,

simply to get their pictures taken with some
political big-wigs, for the purpose of returning to
India and advertising themselves as international
celebrities. Prabhupada was not out to make such
a cheap display, but rather to preach Krishna
Consciousness. We never see him pictured with
some so-called important man. Instead, we have
all seen the famous picture of Prabhupada
standing in Tompkin’s Square Park chanting Hare
Krishna under a big tree.

In July of 1966, Prabhupada secured a storefront with an adjoining apartment at 26

Second Avenue. He began holding Bhagavad-gita classes at 6 AMand 7 PM and at
long last, 10 months after his arrival, prospective devotees started coming. Boys that
later became Brahmananda Swami, Kirtanananda Swami, Hayagriva, Satsva-rupa
Gosvami, Umapati, Acyutananda Swami and others would stop in. These boys used to
come early in the morning, picking a few flowers along the way to offer to Prabhupada.
His Divine Grace would spend most of the night translating Bhagavad-gita As It Isand
would read some of what he had written for class the next day. During these times
almost anyone could come and spend practically the whole day with Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada was now undertaking the role of acharya, or one who teaches by example.
These new American Vaishnavas had to be shown how to eat nice prasadam [food
offered to Krishna], how to chant on beads, how to cleanse the temple and themselves.
There was no one to teach them except Prabhupada. With great patience and affection
he spoon fed his first disciples the basic tenets of Krishna Consciousness.
Gradually the devotees began to live with Prabhupada and thus the first Krishna
Conscious temple was established in the West. Late in 1966, Prabhupada officially
founded The International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Some devotees argued
for using ‘God Consciousness’ instead, so that Westerners would not be frightened off.
But Prabhupada replied sternly, “God has a name—Krishna. So why not use it?”

In those early days Srila Prabhupada established his basic program for spreading
Krishna Consciousness, from which he never deviated. Every night he would sleep only
one or two hours, then rise early to translate. In the morning hours he would have the
early morning worship of mangala aratika and then give class. The remainder of the day
was devoted to preaching, managing, and teaching his students about Krishna.

One of Prabhupada’s greatest concerns was the fear that perhaps American boys
would not appreciate Krishna prasada (food prepared for offering to the Lord).
Prabhupada personally cooked and served the prasada, encouraging them to eat more
and more. Eventually the initial reluctances were overcome and the devotees soon
became addicted to consuming vast amounts of prasada. Prabhupada inaugurated
Sunday love feasts which are still the tradition in all of ISKCON’s numerous centers.
The devotees used to eat so much that they would pass out on the floor, right next to
the pots. Then, upon awakening hours later they would finish off what was left. The
ecstasy of relishing Krishna prasada was destroying their attachment for material
addictions.

Kirtan [congregational singing and chanting of Krishna’s

holy names] was stressed just as strongly. Beating on an
old tom-tom, Srila Prabhupada would lead kirtan (the
singing of the Lord's holy names) for at least 45 minutes
before and after each one-hour class. On Sundays the
devotees would go to the park to chant and these
weekly kirtans sometimes lasted for 2 to 3 hours.
Prabhupada was tireless and wore out his disciples who
were younger by 40 to 50 years. Finally, Prabhupada
spoke, mostly on Bhagavad-gita, with the greatest
conviction and air of authority. The young disciples were
struck by the assurance with which Prabhupada
declared, “It is a fact. Krishna says... No one can deny it,”
and so on instead of, “I think,” or, “In my opinion,” or,
“Maybe it is like this.” Altogether four principles formed
the foundation of Prabhupada’s preaching movement:
chanting, dancing, feasting, and philosophy, and in this way Srila Prabhupada and his
disciples had opened over 100 Krishna Conscious temples in the 10 years while
Prabhupada was preaching.

Then one day a note appeared pinned to the door on the bathroom. It stated matter-of-
factly the basic regulative principles. All initiated devotees must avoid illicit sex,
gambling, meat eating, intoxications, always chant Hare Krishna, and not talk any
nonsense. So Prabhupada had begun to lay down the law. Of course, he was always
most compassionate. He said; “I am 80 percent lenient. If I gave you all of the rules and
regulations, you would faint.”

When things were doing nicely in New York, Srila Prabhupada left with Kirtanananda
and Hayagriva prabhus for San Francisco where he opened another temple in 1967.
Kirtanananda Swami only remained there a few days and then he flew to Montreal,
where a third Krishna Conscious temple was begun.

It was in 1967 that Srila Prabhupada suffered a severe stroke which almost ended his
life. As the stroke came on Prabhupada cried out, “Hare Krsna!” and collapsed into the
arms of Kirtanananda. Later on he said that that was the time appointed for him to leave
his body, but that Krishna wanted him to finish his work first. Prabhupada went back to
India to recover.

Prabhupada’s potency began spreading to those who associated with him. His disciples
were going out and opening more and more new branches. Temples were opened in
Los Angeles, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia and Columbus. The list grew and grew. All
the while Srila Prabhupada was going on with his translating work. Prabhupada would
take rest late in the evening around 11 PM, sleep for one or two hours and then wake
up and translate around 2 or 3 hours a night while everyone else would be taking rest.

First of all, he published Bhagavad-gitaAs It Is, then The Teachings of Lord

Caitanya, then Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a summary of the tenth
canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, then The Nectar of Devotion, which is a summary of Srila
Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu. In addition the work on the Srimad-
Bhagavatam was going on constantly and the original three volumes Prabhupada had
published in 1965 grew to thirty by 1977.

The work on Srimad-Bhagavatam was set aside for 18 months during 1974-5 while Srila
Prabhupada translated the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, a 17 volume work considered, “the
post graduate course in Vedic study.” In this way, Prabhupada’s preaching work went
on incessantly, opening more and more centers, publishing more and more books.
Wherever he went he sowed the seeds of Krishna Consciousness.

Once Prabhupada’s plane was

held over for one hour on the
remote island of Fiji. And in
that one hour one Indian man
who had known Srila
Prabhupada previously, took
the opportunity to come to the
airport and talk with him.
Prabhupada infused in him the
idea of beginning a Krishna
Conscious temple there and in
the fall of 1977 that plan was actualized with the opening of the Krishna-Kaliya temple.
So, simply by being in a remote place for one hour, Srila Prabhupada established
another center for Krishna Consciousness.

As for his books, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust which was formed exclusively for
publishing the works of Srila Prabhupada, is now the world’s largest publisher of books
in the field of Indian religion and philosophy. During those days, over ten million pieces
of literature written by Srila Prabhupada were being distributed annually.

Prabhupada’s books are dynamic, not stagnant or useless. They contain the master
plan for perfect living on a personal, national and even universal scale. Their effect is
ever-increasingly expanding. So many large scale projects have sprung from these
books. In 1968 Srila Prabhupada established the New Vrindaban Community in West
Virginia, introducing self-sufficient Vedic style living with Krishna in the center, as the
only positive alternative to the hell bound chaos of modern urban life. Since that time
dozens of similar communities have sprung up in all continents of the globe.

In
Indi
a
the
Srid
ham
a
May
apu
r
proj
ect
aim
s at
esta
blis
hing a complete Vedic city which will include the largest temple in India, a football-sized
‘kirtan stadium’, planetarium, and even an airport. This project is becoming the largest
construction effort ever undertaken in India.

Thus, Srila Prabhupada tirelessly expanded his Krishna Consciousness movement. He

has always been especially concerned with prasada distribution. Prabhupada wants
restaurants in all the cities where we have temples. He has given us a program of going
to new cities and beginning first by having restaurant-reading rooms where one can
come take prasada, read the books, develop some taste for the philosophy and then,
when there is some interest, open a new temple. So in this way the Krishna
Consciousness movement can grow. This is the meaning of a Vaishnava. A
Vaishnava’s business is not for himself, but for others. Srila Prabhupada was always
fully realized, God conscious. There was no need for him to leave Vrndavana which was
so dear to him, and to come to this horrible place. But out of his intense compassion
and desire to please his spiritual master, he did so.

Thereafter, he continued to distribute this spiritual

knowledge and the process of singing and
chanting Hare Krishna all over the world. He
traveled around the world 12 times and visited
every major country to take bhakti-
yoga and harinama sankirtana (congregational
singing of the holy names of the Lord) to the
western countries. He gave thousands of lectures,
wrote thousands of letters, and met with many
important scholars and dignitaries who very much
appreciated his efforts. Therefore, it was Srila
Prabhupada who had been predicted by the
previous acharyas, and by Sri Caitanya, and even
by Lord Krishna in the ancient Puranas, as the
person who would spread this new spiritual
awareness.

Even though Srila Prabhupada left this world in 1977, he wrote 51 volumes of
books with translations in 28 languages, especially Bhagavad-
gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, so anyone can take advantage of this
knowledge. He established 108 temples in most major cities around the world,
and touched so many people who can also teach this philosophy that this
genuine spiritual knowledge will continue to spread and be available for the
next 10,000 years, throughout the length of this Golden Age in Kali-yuga.

Now it is the duty of those who have been so fortunate as to have received his
association to continue his work. This is all that Prabhupada ever wanted, that his
disciples all become pure devotees and that they continue spreading this chanting of
Hare Krishna. Prabhupada’s wisdom, his determination, his strength, his example and
his love; all these are available to anyone who simply desires them above everything
else. Giving up all attachment to material things, the devotee takes the instructions of
his spiritual master to be his life and soul. Srila Prabhupada has written, “Although my
Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I
am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your Mercy.
Let me become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all. If You
bestow Your power by serving the spiritual master, one attains the Absolute Truth—
one’s life becomes successful. If that service is obtained, then one becomes happy and
gets Your association due to good fortune.”
For a complete gallery of vintage and never before published photographs of
Srila Prabhupada, click here to see our Prabhupada Photo Gallery.

And [Click here] for eight additional vintage photos of Srila Prabhupada taken
of him while he was visiting New Vrindavana, West Virginia in June of 1969,
provided by Chintamani devi dasi.

For more information and books about the life and teachings of Srila
Prabhupada, please see our "Links to Websites" page for various outlets from
which you can place orders.

Some of Srila Prabhupada's Unparalleled Achievements

In 1965, at seventy years of age, he

ventured outside India for the first time to fulfill
the order of his spiritual master. During his
voyage at sea, he suffered two severe heart
attacks. He reached the shores of America with
the equivalent of seven dollars to his name.
He founded the International Society for
Krsna Consciousness with a small group of
disciples, after a year of struggling alone in New
York City. This marked the only time in history
that a Krsna devotee successfully trained non-
Indians in the strict disciplines of Vaisnavism.
Amazingly, this was achieved during the
blossoming of America's hedonistic
counterculture movement.
He sent his followers, chanting the
names of God, into the streets of cities and
towns everywhere and Hare Krsna became
famous in every corner of the earth.
He sent his disciples to London, where
they recorded the single, "Hare Krsna Mantra",
with George Harrison, in 1969. It became the
fastest selling of all the Apple Corporation's
releases, including those of the Beatles. The
record reached #3 in Czechoslovakia, #9 in Britain, and made the top ten in
Germany, Japan, Australia, South Africa, Yugoslavia, and many other
countries.
He formally initiated approximately five thousand disciples. These
initiates represented a sweeping diversity of nationalities, races, ethnicities,
and religious backgrounds.
He established 108 Krsna temples on six continents, installed the deity
of Krsna in each center and trained his disciples in the process of deity
worship. Thirty-two new temples (almost three a month) were opened in a
single year, between 1970 and 1971.
He inaugurated the Rathayatra Festival of Lord Jaganatha in major
cities around the globe, in effect, bringing the temple to the people.
He instituted the brahmacarini ashram, something previously unheard
of in Vedic culture, to give shelter to single women wishing to practice Krsna
consciousness.
He instructed his disciples in 1967 to start an incense business to
provide financial support for the temples. Within four years the business,
Spiritual Sky Incense, generated an annual revenue of one million dollars
(equivalent to $4,600,000 in 2004).
He introduced the "Sunday Love Feast" and other prasadam
(sanctified food) distribution programs that provided millions of free meals to
the public.
He created the world's first chain of vegetarian restaurants.
He spoke daily on the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, delivering
thousands of formal lectures. Over 2,200 were recorded and archived.
He conducted many hundreds of informal conversations on the
science of Krsna consciousness with disciples, guests and friends. Over 1,300
were recorded and archived.
He had scores of interviews and philosophical discussions with news
reporters, scientists, religious leaders and politicians, as well as meetings with
world-renowned dignitaries and celebrities like Indira Gandhi, Allen Ginsberg,
Ravi Shankar, Alice Coltrane, John Lennon and George Harrison.
He recorded more than twenty albums of devotional music.
He published the monthly magazine, Back to Godhead, which he
called the backbone of his movement. At the height of its circulation in the mid
seventies, over a million copies per issue were sold.
He launched the ISKCON Life Membership Program that enrolled tens
of thousands of members.
He built major temples in Bombay and Vrndavana, and founded a
spiritual city at Mayapur. All became international sites of pilgrimage.
 He established primary schools to provide education in the principles
of devotional service.
He founded the Bhaktivedanta Institute to advance Krsna
consciousness within the scientific community, engaging serious academics in
the consideration of the science of self-realization.
He formed the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust to unearth and
renovate the holy places of Lord Caitanya's pastimes.
He set up farm communities to teach "simple living and high thinking",
emphasizing cow protection and dependence on God and nature.
He commissioned his artist disciples to produce hundreds of
illustrations of Krsna's pastimes based on his meticulous instructions and the
descriptions in his books.
He directed some of his followers to learn the Indian art of "doll
making" to present Vedic philosophy through dioramas. This project became
the FATE Museums.
He counseled his disciples on complex managerial, philosophical and
personal issues in more than 6,000 archived letters.
He was the subject of more than 30,000 archival photos and more
than seventy hours of documentary film footage.
He wrote approximately seventy books on the science of Krsna
consciousness, sleeping only a few hours per day. Dozens of prominent
scholars and educators from leading universities praised his work. The
Encyclopaedia Britannica proclaimed that his voluminous translations from the
original Sanskrit and his lucid commentaries "have astounded literary and
academic communities worldwide." This feat is even more astonishing
considering the translations and commentaries were in English, which was a
second language to the author.
He founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, to produce
his books. By 1976, over 55,000,000 literatures had been published in twenty-
five languages and distributed in almost every country, making the BBT the
world's largest publisher of Indian religious and philosophical texts. One
printing alone of Bhagavad-gita As It Is required seventy-six train cars to ship
the paper needed to print it.
He completed the entire Caitanya-caritamrta manuscript (seventeen
volumes) in eighteen months.
He ordered and supervised the BBT in publishing seventeen volumes
of his books in only two months time, in 1974.
Srila Prabhupada increased the standard of Deity worship in all the
temples in Vrindavana, India when he installed the Deities in the Sri Sri
Krishna-Balarama Mandir in the Vrindavana. Before this many of the Deities in
the temples there were dressed in sheets, poor clothes, and even had bugs
crawling on Them, and were often only offered tulasi water and no food
offerings. Now everything has changed because of Srila Prabhupada, and
numerous temples have beautiful worship for the Deities. Even the shop
owners who cater to the needs of the growing number of devotees, many of
whom are Western, have become rich because of Srila Prabhupada. Many
also have his portrait hanging in their shops.
Prabhupada also circled the globe fourteen times, visiting twenty-four
countries, preaching, inspiring his followers and making countless public
appearances before multitudes of people.
He skillfully managed his international society simply through letters
and personal meetings, virtually without the use of a telephone.

Prophecies of Srila Prabhupada and His Mission

1.
idam sthanam parityajya videsam gamyate maya
“I will leave this place [Vrndavana] and travel to foreign lands...”
Bhakti Devi speaking to Narada, in Srimad Bhagavata
Mahatmyam (Padmapurana, Uttarakhanda) translated by Sri Satyanarayana
Dasa
[The Srimad Bhagavata Mahatmyam (The Glories of Srimad
Bhagavatam) is a section of the Padma Purana. It tells the story of how Bhakti
can be revived in Kali yuga through recital of Srimad Bhagavatam. When Srila
Prabhupada left Vrndavana and came to America, it is significant that his only
possession was a trunk containing the first volumes of his Srimad
Bhagavatam, which he considered his most important work. It is also
significant that he instituted daily recitation of the Bhagavatam as the
foundation of the temple program, and that Srimad Bhagavatam (in the form
of Krsna Book) was the first of Srila Prabhupada's books to be distributed in
large quantities. Until Srila Prabhupada came west, devotional service
(Bhakti) had never been successfully introduced in foreign lands.]

2.
krsne sva-dhamopagate
dharma-jnanadibhih saha
kalau nasta-drsam esa
puranarko 'dhunoditah
 “This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just
after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion,
knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness
of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. (Srimad
Bhagavatam 1.3.43)

3.
(Lord Caitanya speaking of the reasons for His descent):
ebe nama sankirtana tikshna khadaga laiya, antara asura jivera phelibe katiya
“Taking the sharp sword of the congregational chanting of the Hare
Krsna mantra, (nama-sankirtana) I will root out & destroy the demoniac
mentality in the hearts of all the conditioned souls.”

yadi papi chadi dharma dure dese yaya

mora senapati-bhakta yaibe tathaya

“If some sinful people escape and giving up religious principles go to

far off countries, then my Senapati Bhakta will come at that time to give them
Krsna consciousness.” (senapati - a military field commander, bhakta - a
devotee. Lord Caitanya will empower His own devotee to spread Krsna
Consciousness around the world.)

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Caitanya Mangala, Sutra-Khanda
by Locana das Thakura

4.
prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
“In every town and village, the chanting of My name will be heard.”
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Caitanya-bhagavata, Antya 4.126

5.
 “Very soon the unparalleled path of hari-nama sankirtana will be
propagated all over the world. Oh, for that day when the fortunate English,
French, Russian, German, and American people will take up banners,
mridangas, and karatalas and raise kirtana through their streets and towns!
When will that day come?”

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Sajjana Tosani 4.3, 'Nityadharma Suryodoy'
1885

6.
Prabhupada: Just like Thakura Bhaktivinoda. In 1896 he sent the Caitanya
Mahaprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The
letter was there. And these are coincidence. Now, after so many years, a
servant of that disciplic succession has come here again to preach. So these
things are significant.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.149-171

San Francisco, March 18, 1967

Prabhupada: ...in 1896. Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the first origin of this
movement. But he simply thought of it. And he was expecting some others
that willing to take up the work. Well, somebody says that I am the same man.
And I was born in 1896.

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran Iran, March 13, 1975

7.
“Anyway please try to save temple of Jiva Goswami because in very
near future many people from all parts of the world will come to see the
Temple and Samadhi of Jiva Goswami and Rupa Goswami.”

Letter to Nripen Babu, San Francisco, March 18, 1967

8. & 9.
Prabhupada: And in my horoscope there was written there, “After seventieth
year this man will go outside India and establish so many temples.” I could not
understand. "What is this, that I have to go outside India? That is not..." And
Guru Maharaja foretold. He told my Godbrothers, Sridhara Maharaja and
others, that "He'll do the needful when time comes. Nobody requires to help
him." He told in 1935. And after all, this was true. Guru Maharaja told. And in
the beginning, first sight, he told, "You have to do this."
Room Conversation, Vrndavana, June 17, 1977

10.
He (Srila Prabhupada) seemed to know that he would have temples filled up
with devotees. He would look out and say, "I am not a poor man, I am rich.
There are temples and books, they are existing, they are there, but the time is
separating us from them."
Mr. Ruben, (subway conductor who met Prabhupada in 1965)

Fulfillment of these prophecies was also confirmed by Srila Prabhupada's

Godbrothers:

“This return back to homeland of Srila Prabhupada is particularly

significant because this time he comes back with a host of his western
disciples. This signifies to me the meeting of the East and the West, or at least
the beginning of such a meeting. This signifies the victory of spiritualism over
materialism, of good over evil. This is really a rare moment in history, for the
first time in the history of the world, for the first time at least living memory,
Vaisnavism, the message of Vaisnavism, the message of Mahaprabhu, the
message of devotion and of pure devotion has been carried to the west and
carried so successfully. I am sure that historians of the future will have a lot to
say about Prabhupada and his movement, and they will be even envious of us
for living in a time when this movement was begun and for participating in it.”
Introduction Speech By Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor, Vrndavana, October 15,
1972

“And what about the qualities he had? All devotional qualities he

possess. And that we can know him that he is great only by preaching. Less
than 10 years. There is no history, no recording anywhere. Preaching in 10
years he has established this divine name everywhere. As is told in
Mahaprabhu's future [prediction].”
His Holiness B.V. Puri Maharaj, ITV, Memories of Srila Prabhupada

“Sripada Sridhara Maharaja also appreciated my service. He said that

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama/
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama, would remain a dream only, but he
congratulated me that I have done it practically.”
Srila Prabhupada letter to Bon Maharaja, Evanston, Illinois, July 7,
1975

“Any one of the feats mentioned above would be a significant feather

in anyone's cap, even if it were the only thing a person accomplished in a
lifetime. That Srila Prabhupada did all these things in just twelve years, and
fulfilled so many predictions of sastra, great devotees, acaryas and
astrologers, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, is patent
validation of his inimitable role in Vaisnava history. By his efforts, uncountable
millions have read about Krsna, honored Krsna prasadam, and heard and
chanted the maha mantra. Through his teachings, he continues to relieve
humanity from the maladies spawned by doctrines of monism and voidism,
while holding open the door of Krsna bhakti for many generations to come. Let
us recognize and remember his unprecedented contributions and strive to
bring him honor throughout the world.”

Devotee: Prabhupada, they said that if Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted Krsna

consciousness in the Western countries, why didn't He go there Himself?
That's what they told us.
Prabhupada: So He left the credit for me. (laughter)
Morning Walk, Nellore, January 4, 1976

All glories to Om Visnu-pada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Astotarra-sata

Sri Srimad
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!

Books by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada:

Bhagavad-gita As It Is
Srimad-Bhagavatam, cantos 1-10, (29 vols.)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (17 vols.)
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
The Nectar of Devotion
Sri Isopanisad
Easy Journey to Other Planets
Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System
Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead (3 vols.)
Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers
Dialectical Spiritualism -- A Vedic View of Western Philosophy
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahuti
Transcendental Teachings of Prahlad Maharaja
Teachings of Queen Kunti
Krsna, the Reservoir of Pleasure
The Science of Self-Realization
The Path of Perfection
Life Comes From Life
The Perfection of Yoga
Beyond Birth and Death
On the Way to Krsna
Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge
Elevation to Krsna Consciousness
Krsna Consciousness: The Matchless Gift

Other articles that may interest you in connection with this are:
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and His Great Accomplishments
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura: The Lion Guru
The Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Disciplic Succession and Its Unique
Characteristics: Of Which We are a Part